Up Against the Browns: Bengals preview

The Bengals limped home after four road trips within five games. When that stretch began, defensive stars Geno Atkins and Leon Hall, were playing. Now they are on injured reserve.

By Steve DoerschukRepository staff writer

Browns writer Steve Doerschuk takes his weekly look at the next opponent, featuring key matchups that will shape Sunday’s game at Cincinnati (6-4). Kickoff time is 1:02 p.m.

It’s not just that the Bengals are 4-0 at home in 2013. The wins are worth bragging about. They outgained Pittsburgh 407 yards to 278 in a 20-10 win Sept. 16. They rallied from a 30-14 deficit to subdue Aaron Rodgers and the Packers 34-30 on Sept. 22. They beat New England, currently 7-2, by holding Tom Brady to an 18-of-38 passing day Oct. 6 (the final was 13-6).

Most recently, they routed the New York Jets 49-6, scoring 14 points in each of the first three quarters.

SMOKE ON THE WATER

The Bengals limped home after four road trips within five games. When that stretch began, defensive stars Geno Atkins and Leon Hall, were playing. Now they are on injured reserve. Bengals starters who have missed practice this week include linebackers Rey Maualuga (knee) and Vontaze Burfict (knee), defensive tackle Brandon Thompson (ankle), cornerback Terence Newman, center Kyle Cook and right guard Kevin Zeitler.

In overtime road losses the last two weeks, the Bengals have trailed 17-3 at Miami and 17-0 at Baltimore.

ANDY AT HIS EASE vs. BROWNS’ PRESSURE

Unlike Jason Campbell, whose recent history is steady play both home and road, Andy Dalton has been a much better quarterback in Cincinnati.

Dalton’s passer ratings in going 4-0 at Paul Brown Stadium this year have been 81.7 (Steelers), 105.5 (Packers), 81.1 (Patriots) and 125.7 (Jets).

His three worst games, by far, have been on the road, with ratings of 58.2 at Cleveland, 55.4 at Miami and 52.2 at Baltimore.

In the Browns’ 17-6 win over the Bengals on Sept. 29, Dalton got decent protection, taking just one sack, but he never quite deciphered the Browns’ coverage scheme. At times, superstar wideout A.J. Green (seven catches, 51 yards) faced Joe Haden in man coverage. At times, the Browns picked up Green with well-disguised zones. Even when Dalton had men open, he seemed mentally off.

The Bengals have sprouted blocking leaks. Miami and Baltimore sacked Dalton a combined 10 times in the last two games.

It’s time for rookie Barkevious Mingo to earn his keep as part of the edge-rushing group with Jabaal Sheard, fully healthy now after the bye, and Paul Kruger, who has been getting close to sacks without finishing.

MUTLISYLLABIC RBs vs. BROWNS’ RUN STUFFERS

BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Giovani Bernard share Cincinnati’s running load, but with wild fluctuations as to who is The Man from one game to the next. In a mid-October win at Buffalo, the 28-year-old Green-Ellis ran 18 times for 86 yards; the rookie Round 2 pick, Bernard, ran 15 times for just 28 yards. In an Oct. 31 loss at Miami, Green-Ellis ran 21 times for 72 yards; Bernard got just nine carries but delivered 79 yards.

Bernard was rewarded with more carries in the next game, Sunday’s loss at Baltimore, running 14 times for 58 yards. Green-Ellis ran nine times for 36 yards.

In the first Browns-Bengals game, Bernard ran 10 times for 37 yards, Green-Ellis six times for 13 yards.

Bottom line: Both can count on an important role every week, but neither got too far against the Browns.

The Browns rank No. 6 in the NFL in run defense, but their front seven gave up meaningful yards in the most recent road games to Green Bay’s Eddie Lacy and Kansas City’s Jamaal Charles.

Aside from losing backup Quentin Groves, the front seven is as healthy as it has been all year, with Sheard and Billy Winn ready to excel. Groves actually missed the first Cincinnati game, in which the Browns held Bernard and Green-Ellis to a combined 50 yards (3.1 average).

JASON CAMPBELL vs. ERRATIC BENGALS SECONDARY

The Bengals can be very good, as they were in limiting Joe Flacco to 140 passing yards last Sunday (they sacked him five times and picked him twice).

Or, they can be very suspect, as they were in allowing Thaddeus Lewis to pass the Bills to a 24-all tie at the end of regulation Oct. 13.

Losing No. 1 cornerback Hall hasn’t hurt the Bengals the way Haden’s suspension did the Browns last year.

Campbell, though, has had two weeks to study ways to bait Pacman Jones, whose aggressive play sometimes gets him out of position. The other starter, Newman, is 35, banged up and slowing down.

Tight end Jordan Cameron made a career-best 10 catches in the first Cincinnati game, in which the Bengals paid special attention to wideout Josh Gordon but still allowed four catches for 71 yards.

Campbell supposes the Bengals will try to take away Cameron and Gordon, as Baltimore did, and is prepared to rely on wideout Greg Little and slot receiver Davone Bess.